The Romanesque in the Cuenca Province

Bricked up doorway in Sotos

When King Alfonso VIII conquered the city of Cuenca and the surrounding territories at the end of the twelfth century, the architectural elements of the Romanesque were spread throughout the European continent as well as the northern peninsula. Romanesque Cuen- ca is characterised by the late chronology of its development and being influenced aesthe- tically by the military and the Cistercian order, in addition to being located in an eminently rural environment as the Christian repopulation got underway.

Geographically, the Romanesque in Cuenca was basically spread throughout the northern Church province in villages such as Albalate de las Nogueras, and the well-known area of Campichuelo. There are also very prominent Romanesque elements in the chur- ches of Alarcón and in the popular churches of Arcas and Valeria.

Our route can begin in the medieval village of Alarcón, whose entire framework takes us back to the Middle Ages with its cobbled streets, castle and faint signs of the Romanesque as can be seen in the church of Santo Domingo.

Further on, in the main square in the centre Valeria, is the Virgin de la Sey, the largest Romanesque church in the province and the only one with three naves. Is it a unique construction in that it was the first to use columns and other materials from the Roman city of Valeria, which can be seen in the walls and arches separating the naves. It is also worth La Natividad de Arcas Church noting the large number of different types of stonemasonry on its walls.

The main attraction and symbol of the town of Arcas is the Romanesque Natividad Church (13th century), one of the most southerly Romanesque churches in Europe. The unique- ness of its construction is found in the old misconception that the Roman city of Ercávica, a later Visigoth headquarters, was located in Arcas and which favoured its construction. One thing that shows its current use is that, during the Religious Music Week in Cuenca, a concert from this worldwide event takes place there.

Walking through the lands of , we arrive at the ancient Berber settlement of Albalate, where after the Christian conquest the Church de la Asuncion was built on the Valdeolivas Church remains of an ancient mosque. What stands out the most is the only Romanesque nave from Early Roman times, with a barrel vault roof and two doorways with pointed archivolts. The corbels as well as the eaves joining the walls to the roof have floral motifs, zoomor- phic and anthropomorphic elements which us back to the Medieval period when it was built, as well teaching about the beliefs, knowledge and lessons taught by Christianity to believers during the Romanesque period.

In Valdeolivas, one of the best Romanesque treasures in Castilla with rural Go- thic influences is kept: the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de laAsunción The bell tower, which was knocked down and rebuilt, is unique in its style, as well as for its beauty and its dimensions and in spite of the fact part of it is missing. Inside there is the crowning glory of Valeria´s Church this temple, the semi-circular apse covered with quarter-sphere dome and decorated with beautiful 13th century wall paintings of Christ Pantocrator, the Tetramorph and the Aposto- late. It is undoubtedly one of the most valuable temples in the province of Cuenca.

Finally, the district of Campichuelo contains numerous temples which although they have undergone several changes in different periods, have kept their soul from their cons- truction in Medieval times. In the church of Sotos, we can observe original Romanesque elements as the remains bricked up doorway to the north, and archivolt columns with figurative and zoomorphic capitals, one of the few remaining examples in the province. In Colladas, there is one of the most beautiful Romanesque gates in Campichuelo, formed by multiple segments that give rise to a half arch that allows entry to the temple. In the highest part of Torrecilla, one of the most beautiful religious buildings of rural Romanesque Torrecilla´s Roman Church Cuenca can be seen from a distance, still retaining its original style and medieval feeling with its cornices and corbels, as well as its extensive doorway.

Collados Church